3rd quarter, 5:25: Clemson 20, NC State 7: Tigers quarterback Tajh Boyd connects with Martavis Bryant for a 30-yard touchdown pass. Clemson goes up 20-7 on NC State with 5:25 to go in the third quarter.

Halftime: Clemson 13, NC State 7: A previously lackluster Tajh Boyd put together a good drive in the second quarter to get the Tigers into the endzone. Boyd is 15-26 for 144 passing yards and one touchdown.

2nd quarter, 2:23: Clemson 13, NC State 7: Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd drives the team down the field and ends with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Sam Cooper to put the Tigers up 13-7.

2nd quarter, 11:03: NC State 7, Clemson 6: Shadrach Thornton rushed 21 yards and in for a Wolfpack touchdown. NC State's kicker Niklas Sade makes it 7-6 for the Pack's first lead of the game. The drive consisted of seven plays, covering 92 yards.

2nd quarter, 14:46: Clemson 6, NC State 0: NC State again holds the Tigers to a field goal to start the quarter. Clemson's Chandler Catanzaro hits a 46-yarder for the 6-0 lead.

End of 1st quarter:Clemson 3, NC State 0: The Wolfpack defense has really come to play, making several big plays to stop the Clemson offense and keep them to just one field goal in the first quarter.

1st quarter, 9:58: Clemson 3, NC State 0: A huge sack by Art Norman on 3rd and 11 from the NC State 21 puts Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd down at the 32. Clemson is forced to settle for a field goal for the 3-0 lead on the opening drive.

NC State wins the coin toss and sends the defense on the field first. Of note, NC State left tackle Rob Crisp is not playing due to an upper body injury.

The crowd is filing in and the national anthem has been played. The NC State football team enters Carter-Finley Stadium to fireworks and smoke in the endzone as they are moments away from taking on No. 3 Clemson. It was just two years ago that NC State upset then No. 7 ranked Clemson here at Carter-Finley. First year head coach Dave Doeren aims to continue his home win streak, as the coach is 14-0 over his career as a head coach at home.

Preview: Clemson coach Dabo Swinney hasn't forgotten what happened the last time his Tigers carried a top-10 ranking into North Carolina State. He's focused on ensuring it doesn't happen again Thursday night.

The third-ranked Tigers (2-0) enter Raleigh with their highest ranking in 25 years and the Atlantic Coast Conference favorite is squarely in the national championship chase. That means they can't afford a repeat of their inexplicably bad performance two years ago against the Wolfpack (2-0).

Clemson, ranked No. 7 during that last visit, played without injured star receiver Sammy Watkins, gave up 27 second-quarter points and lost 37-13. Swinney called it "one of the most miserable games I've ever been a part of," while Watkins said the Tigers "didn't deal well with the success we had as a team."

"My job was to have the team ready, and when they're not ready, that's on me," Swinney said. "We went up there and executed a plan to lose — four turnovers, three of them inside our own 20, against a good football team at their place? You can't win that way.Logan: Underdog NC State needs 12th man

"Hopefully these guys on our team have grown through their whole team experience, and will put their best foot forward."

While that experience is one the Tigers would like to forget, it offers confidence for the Wolfpack and first-year coach Dave Doeren. He inherited a team that followed its upset of Clemson with a come-from-behind win against No. 3 Florida State last year with a last-minute touchdown.

Doeren is hoping that his team, a two-touchdown underdog, can upset a top-10 team for the third straight season. It also marks the Wolfpack's first ACC game under Doeren, the former Northern Illinois coach.

"Those games aren't going to win this game for us," Doeren said. "But at least there's guys in the room that remember. Our young guys are just out there playing. They don't know any better. For the older guys, I think it's a source of pride and our fans obviously are a big part of those wins with the noise we can generate on third down and on key moments defensively."

___

Here are five things to watch in Thursday's Clemson-N.C. State matchup:

TEMPO: Both teams like to get plenty of snaps in no-huddle schemes. Quarterback Tajh Boyd directs Clemson's attack, which averaged nearly 86 plays in wins against highly ranked Georgia and South Carolina State. N.C. State averaged about 82 plays in its wins against Louisiana Tech and Richmond. That could lead to some worn-out defenses Thursday night.

WOLFPACK'S SECONDARY: N.C. State struggled to slow Richmond quarterback Michael Strauss, who completed 29 of 45 passes for 300 yards and two scores on Sept. 7. In addition, four Spiders grabbed at least five passes in the 23-21 win by the Wolfpack. N.C. State's secondary, which lost three of its four starters from 2012, will face even more pressure from Boyd and Watkins.

DAYES & CREECY: N.C. State running backs Tony Creecy and freshman Matt Dayes could play a big role in keeping the Wolfpack in this one. N.C. State must move the chains to sustain drives while keeping Boyd and the Tigers' offense on the sidelines. Dayes has already scored four touchdowns in his first two games.

THOMAS' GROWTH: N.C. State lost starting quarterback Brandon Mitchell to a broken foot on the third series of the season opener. That meant Colorado State transfer Pete Thomas had to take over leading an offense that's better suited to Mitchell's skillset. Doeren said Thomas has benefited from his increased practice work with the starters. "He hasn't seen a defense like this one yet so this will be a tough test," Doeren said.

PEAKE'S ABSENCE: This will be Clemson's first game since losing second-leading receiver Charone Peake to a season-ending knee injury in practice. That means reserve Adam Humphries is expected to move into the starting lineup. Humphries has started five of 29 games in his career with 63 catches and one touchdown. "Where this really hurts us is our depth," Swinney said.

TruthBKnown Banned Again03Sep 21, 2013

VT1994HokieSep 20, 2013

Bascially I was referring to all those that think one play ruined this game for State.

StunGunnSep 20, 2013

View quoted thread

Did finally see the replay on the run...State got hosed, but not sure that cost them the game.

— Posted by kornfan2448

Korn, the game was very close, and actually should have been 26-21, and that's not even taking the momentum shift into consideration. State's D did a stellar job in the first half, and Thomas has improved a ton in just two weeks. State will win games this year - they did a solid job against the #3 team. Boyd didn't have a good game, and State's D was the reason.

kornfan2448Sep 20, 2013

Did finally see the replay on the run...State got hosed, but not sure that cost them the game.

kornfan2448Sep 20, 2013

View quoted thread

BS above.

— Posted by VT1994Hokie

Care to clarify?

kornfan2448Sep 20, 2013

Hold up, since when has Clemson become the &quot;golden child&quot;? I thought that was UNC or FSU, for various reasons? Could we be witnessing a changing of the guard? No matter if it's a game I even have ANY interest in, I DETEST the whole ref blame game.

weaklings reportSep 20, 2013

View quoted thread

Just got home and had to miss the game, but I am surprised by the final score. I came here just to instantly get the score and have read very little as to what the game was like, but congrats to State for such a close game. Seems like it had to be a good game and not sure why I see comments about Carolina and Georgia Tech, but that's why I don't frequent these forums as often, that has nothing to do with THIS game. Clemson can score and to hold them to 26 is pretty awesome! First year coach and a back-up QB and you only lose to #3 by 12? I wouldn't happy about a loss, but I could find a lot more good than bad.

— Posted by kornfan2448

that's about the size of it.

TruthBKnown Banned Again03Sep 20, 2013

We got robbed. The refs made it clear from early in the game that they were going to protect &quot;golden child&quot; Clemson. They did an excellent job of that. Called back three touchdowns (one was indisputable, but they blew it dead so it could not be challenged).

It's difficult enough playing the so-called #3 team in the nation, but when you have to overcome horrendous officiating in addition to that, you're not going to win.

In a way, it was a win-win. Clemson got the win, and State showed they were the better team.

It stinks, but we move on. I do feel much better about this State team than I did going into this game. Especially the defense. We're going to win some games this year.

VT1994HokieSep 19, 2013

BS above.

kornfan2448Sep 19, 2013

View quoted thread

It would indeed, I didn't realize the Georgia Yellow Jackets were on the schedule. Wonder what those helmets would look like? Well, if that's what makes your day, guess your days don't consist of much. But hey...good game.